Eureka! Institutional Repository

Narcotic antagonists, such as naltrexone, are used to treat both opiate addiction and alcohol dependence. NTX has a chemical structure similar to that of opioids and can occupy body receptors preferring it to opiates. It is marketed in tablet form for oral administration but has many pharmacotherapeutic limitations (98% of the drug is metabolized in the liver) and gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting). The aim of this postgraduate thesis is the preparation of microparticles of polymers for the encapsulation of Naltrexone for intravenous administration and prolonged-release thereof. The polymer microparticles are widely used as active pharmaceutical drug delivery vehicles because of the advantages they present. In particular, they protect the active pharmaceutical compound from hydrolysis, metabolism by biological agents and generally from any undesirable agent that can alter the structure and hence its action. Also, they have the ability to control the release of the drug and to prolong it for a long time. At first, the poly (propylene adipate) PPAd was synthesized and then its copolymerization with the polylactide acid PLLA, of different ratios PLLA / PPAd 90/10, 75/25, 50/50 w / w. The copolymers were fully characterized as to their composition, morphology, crystallinity and physicochemical characteristics. Besides, their thermal decomposition and enzymatic biodegradation were studied. Subsequently, the prepared polymers were used to microencapsulate the drug Naltrexone by the double emulsion technique. The microparticles were fully characterized for their size, potential, morphology, and crystallinity, followed by a study of drug release.